The largest public electric vehicle (EV) charging facility in California has officially opened in Santa Clara. The Electric Vehicle Charging Center, located at the city’s Tasman Parking Garage, is situated near the Santa Clara Convention Center, Levi’s Stadium and the California Great America theme park. It features 48 Level 2 chargers and one DC fast charger.
Santa Clara’s municipal electric utility Silicon Valley Power (SVP) collaborated with the Electric Power Research Institute, Joint Venture Silicon Valley, ChargePoint and MJR Electric to obtain a grant of $393,000 from the California Energy Commission to pay for the equipment and construction of the charging center. Santa Clara staff provided labor, and operational expenses of the facility are expected to be covered by usage fees from EV drivers.
“This is a milestone in our city’s commitment to fighting climate change, and it sets a standard for local action in California,” says Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor. “This garage also features a rooftop solar array and state-of-the-art power storage capability.”
The six-story parking structure has a 370 kW photovoltaic installation and uses battery technology from Green Charge Networks to help offset peak power demand with stored power to lower costs. Although the solar power does not go directly to the charging stations, it does flow into the local SVP grid, which, in turn, provides the facility’s electricity.
